Charleston is like stepping back in time. Every street, row house and corner store has a story dating back a 100 or more years. I kept saying it was like Boston meets Florida as the colonial history is complemented with warm weather and palm trees. It is magical and unlike anywhere else in the U.S.

Although Charleston was larger than I expected, you only need three or four days to get a full grasp for the city.

Where to Stay?

My sister and I went for a short girls trip. We opted for a rental. However, we couldn't find a HomeAway so we rented through Airbnb this time.

I use HomeAway and Airbnb for different types of trips. HomeAway is my go-to for group trips to vacation destinations. Although I always check HomeAway first, I have used Airbnb to find city rentals for smaller groups.

Here is the Airbnb we rented. It was on Spring and Upper King. It was an adorable rental in the perfect location. We walked everywhere. The rental was older and the walls were thin but for location and price, I would stay again.

If my budget was a little bit larger, I would have sought out a historic hotel or Inn. I have heard the Vendue Hotel and 86 cannon are amazing.

Favorite Restaurants?

Brunch or Lunch:

The Daily - It is a counter service spot that dishes up fresh and light breakfast and lunch options. Feels as if you're in someones home due to the extremely open kitchen and adorable decor. We loved the smoked salmon toast.

Hominy Grill- Located off the beaten path of Upper King Street, Hominy has a local, neighborhood feel. We sat outside and couldn't get over the adorable takeout window where waiting customers could order brunch cocktails and biscuits.

Happy Hour:

The Darling Oyster - We had dinner here but really only enjoyed the South Carolina Oysters and cocktail list. I would recommend going for happy hour, sitting at the bar and enjoying the adorable decor.

Fleet Landing - After walking south of Broad or the Charleston market, stop in for a cocktail on the water. It is a cute place on the bay!

Dinner:

Obstinate Daughter - This is located on Sullivan's Island. My sister and I spent two days at the beach after exploring the city. This was our favorite restaurant of the trip. It was Italian-inspired seafood spot. Amazing.

Indaco - Located on upper King Street, I can't put my finger on why I loved this restaurant so much. It seemed to be underrated and off of everyone's radar - it was delicious.

On my list for next time:

Where did you go out?

The best place to go out is Upper King. It was fun to bar hop down the street. There are a lot of upstairs bars with rooftops. One of our favorites was The Cocktail Club. It opened in 1881!

Do you need to rent a Car?

No. The airport is near the city and its very easy to get around by Uber and Lyft. Besides that, we walked most of the time and parking is difficult.

What are the best things to do?

Walk King Street - Its long! Take your time to shop and explore the entire street.

Explore south of Broad - Spend one morning riding bicycles south of Broad Street to see all the beautiful historical houses and parks along harbor. Make sure to visit rainbow row!

Walk College of Charleston's campus - It is out of a movie and probably one of my favorite sites that we saw.

Visit the Charleston Market - It is a historic market place established in 1805 that now sells trinkets and souvenirs.

Do at least one historical tour - We toured the Aiken-Rhett house which belonged to a wealthy family for more than 150 years. The slave quarters still exist the the majority of the original structure is still intact. It was very cool.

What about the beach?

Katie and I were there for five days. We spent three in the city and then decided to stay on Sullivan's Island for two. Sullivan's is adorable, and we were glad we saw it. Its worth going for a day trip from Charleston (its only 25 minutes) or to tack on a beach day or two if the weather is nice.

Any other tips?

It was a little too chilly for us to go to the beach in March however it was a beautiful day so we spent it at The Beach Club Resort at Charleston Harbor. It is a gorgeous hotel right on the marina. This would be a great place to stay if you're going in the summer months. You could do a pool and beach day as well as hop over to Charleston to easily explore and go to dinner (10 minute drive). Its also near Patriots point (photo at the bottom) and has a great restaurant called the Charleston Fish House.

Let me know if you have any other questions! I tried to cover them all.